Device for exposing and processing radiation sensitive units



United States Patent Inventor Donald M. Harvey Rochester, New York Appl.No. 695,769

Filed Jan. 4, 1968 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Assignee Eastman Kodak CompanyRochester, New York a corporation of New Jersey DEVICE FOR EXPOSING ANDPROCESSING RADIATION SENSITIVE UNITS l4 Claims,.l3 Drawing Figs.

Primary ExaminerJohn M. Horan Attorneys- Robert W. Hampton and Gary D.Fields ABSTRACT: A device such as a camera, is provided in which aradiation-sensitive unit, such as a slide transparency unit can betransported from a storage chamber to another chamber for exposure andprocessing each unit including a radiationsensitive element and at leastone rupturable pod containing a processing agent. The preferredembodiment illustrates a camera suitable for exposing and processing aslide transparency unit, each unit including a pair of pods, adjacent tothe transparency, containing nonviscous processing agents. After thetransparency has been exposed, the two pods are sequentially rupturedand the processing agents contained therein are forced across thetransparency by a pair of pistons in, or adjacent to, the cameraexposure chamber.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet g of 2 DONALD M. HARVEY INVENTOR.

Y a, $2M a Q ATTORNEYS DEVICE FOR EXPOSING AND PROCESSING RADIATIONSENSITIVE UNITS CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Reference ismade to the following commonly assigned, copending U.S. Pat.applications: Ser. No. 675,597, entitled Camera and Method for Exposingand Developing Slide Transparency Units", filed Oct. 16, I967 in thename of Hubert Nerwin; Ser. No. 685,687, entitled Cartridge forDispensing and Storing Slide Transparency Units", filed Nov.

24, I967 in the name of Henry .I. Bartnick et al.; Ser. No. 685,618,entitled Cartridge for Dispensing Slide Transparency Unitsfiled Nov. 24,1967 in the name of Leonard F. Kamp; and Ser. No. 695,768, entitledSlide Transparency Unit for In-Camera Processing, filed on even dateherewith in the name of Donald M. Harvey.

BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates generally to a device suitable for expressing and processing aradiation-sensitive unit, and particularly, to a camera in which slidetransparency units can be exposed and processed.

2. Description of the Prior Art A number of techniques have beendeveloped whereby photosensitive material can be exposed within a cameraand then developed and transferred to an image-receiving sheet toprovide a positive'print. The development of cameras which can processslide transparencies, however, has not been undertaken to any greatextent. U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,670 to M. Friedman et al.; is directed to a35 mm. system in which separate slide transparency units are loaded inan exposure chamber of a camera with a leader extending from each unitthrough a processing chamber and out of the camera. After exposure, eachslide transparency unit is successively pulled into the processingchamber causing a processing fluid, contained in a single rupturablepod, to be spread across the trans-. parency. After an appropriatedevelopment period, the transparency is pulled from the camera forviewing. Such a camera has the potential disadvantage that the wrongleader may be pulled or that more than one leader may be pulled at thesame time, jamming the slide transparency units in the camera mechanism.Furthermore, no means is provided in such a systemfor utilizing morethan one processing agent, use of only one processing agent posing theadded disadvantage of increasing the complexity of the photographicchemistry involved. The present invention provides a device that issuitable for exposing and processing a radiation-sensitive unit of thetype including a radiation-sensitive element and a rupturable pod whichcontains a processing agent exudable from the pod onto the element, whenthe pod is ruptured, to process the element after the element has beenexposed. The device comprises a storage chamber for storing an unexposedunit therein, and exposure chamber for exposing a unit received from thestorage chamber, a passageway interconnecting the two chambers forallowing movement of an unexposed unit from the storage chamber to theexposure chamber, and means movable transversely to the movement of aunit through the passageway and engageable with the pod of a unit afterexposure for rupturing the pod and thereby exuding the processing agenttherefrom onto the exposed element.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated below, the device is I aphotographic camera adapted to expose and process a plurality of slidetransparency units. By means of a slide mechanism in the camera,unexposed transparency units are transported sequentially from a storagechamber through a passageway into a exposure-and-processing chamber.After a transparency unit has been exposed, a piston assembly, havingtwo pistons, is utilized to sequentially rupture a pair of pods on theunit and cause a nonviscous agent to be exuded from each pod onto theexposed processing. With such an arrangement the first pod to beruptured could contain a developing agent,

and the second pod could contain another developing agent, a fixingagent, ora bleaching agent. Further operation of the slide mechanism tobring a succeeding unexposed transparency unit into the exposure andprocessing chamber causes the exposed and processed unit to be ejectedfrom the camera.

It should be understood that the term transparency as used herein,refers to the film exposed area, whether in its unexposed, exposed, orprocessed condition. 7 Additional novel features of this invention willbecome apparent in the description of the preferred embodiment presentedbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectionthrough a camera constructed in accordance with this invention, showinga slide transparency unit in the camera exposure chamber;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, horizontal section, taken along line 2-2 ofFIG. 1, showing the construction of the pressure pad and relatedstructure;

FIG. 3 is an offset vertical section, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1,illustrating the operation of the piston assembly;

FIG. 4 is an offset vertical section, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1,showing further details of the piston assembly;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the piston assemblyshowing the two pistons positioned so that the first piston is in itspod rupturing position upon the first pod on the transparency unit;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical section, taken along line 6-6 of FIG.5, showing the first processing agent, after its ejection from the firstpod as it is held under pressure across the transparency;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, vertical section, through the piston assemblysimilar to FIG. 5 but showing both pistons in their raised positions;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical section, taken along line 8-8 of FIG.7, showing the first piston in its raised position above the first podso' that any unabsorbed first processing agent on the transparency canbe returned to the first pod by the pressure pad;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section, similar to FIGS. 5 and 7 butshowing the second piston in its pod rupturing position upon the secondpod on the transparency unit;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, vertical section, taken along line 10-10 ofFIG. 9, showing the second processing agent, after its ejection from thesecond pod, as it is under pressure across the transparency;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, vertical section, through the piston assemblysimilar to FIGS. 5, 7, and 9 but showing both pistons in their raisedposition;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, vertical section, taken along line 12-12 ofFIG. 11, showing the second piston in its raised position above thesecond pod so that any unabsorbed second processing agent on thetransparency can be returned to the second pod by the pressure pad; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a transparency unit, which could beutilized in a camera constructed in accordance with this invention, 7showing a strippable cover sheet partly removed, after the transparencyhas been exposed and processed, in order to provide a finishedtransparency unit ready for viewing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with thisinvention, a camera C is provided in which a transparency unit can beprocessed immediately after exposure As shown in FIG. 1, camera Ccomprises a housing l-I having a pair of spaced sidewalls 50 and 32interconnected by a pair of spaced end walls 52 and 53, with a centerwall 54 extending from sidewall 50 toward sidewall 32 to divide housingH into a storage chamber 10 and an adjacent exposure chamber 11. The endof center wall 54 extending toward sidewall 32 terminates short ofsidewall 32 to provide a passageway 55 through which a reciprocativeslide mechanism chamber is provided with a door 12 for receiving aplurality of slide transparency units T, which are urged toward slidemechanism 13 by a spring 14 bearing against a plate 15. Of course, theslide transparency units could be mounted in a suitable magazine orother device for supplying them to the camera, ifdesired.

As best seen in FIG. 13 each transparency unit T includes a generallyrectangularmount M having a planar surface 16 and a central opening 17,across which a transparency 18 extends. A pair of rupturable" blistersor pods 19 and 20 partially by depressions in mount M, as shown, areclosed in a covering fashion, by a strippable sheet 21 overlying planarsurface 16 andtransparency 18. As described below, when pods 19 and 20are ruptured, processing agents 22 and 22a contained therein,respectively which agents may be nonviscous fluids,

will be spread across transparency 18 within a space formedbetween-transparency l8 and strippablesheet 21, as more fully explainedbelow. Advantageously, pods 19 and 20 are provided with absorbentmaterial, such as sponges 23 and 24,

respectively, which can'absorb any unused processing agent,

as described below. S'trippable sheet 21 is advantageously provided witha depressed portion 25 to limit the space to be cccupied by eachprocessing agent the processing of transparency 18.

Reciprocative slide mechanism 13 is provided with a body 26 having a lipor finger26a at one end for-engaging an edge of a transparency unit inorder to transport the engaged unit' from storage chamber 10, throughpassageway 55, engaged unit,.slide 13 is pushed to the left, as viewedin FIG. I. The transported unit vis then held against a generallyrectangular,

:hollow abutment 27, which is biased toward the unit by resilient meanssuch as springs 28 and 29 attached to housing II, by a resiliently urgedpressure plate or pod 30 that is received in a recess 31 in camera wall32 and held against the unit by resilient means such as springs 33 and34 attached. to wall 32. For convenience as best seen in FIGS. 6,8, 10,and 12, pressure pad 30 is'dirnensioned to fit within the dimensions ofopening 17 in mount M in order, to facilitate an even distribution ofeach processing agent across transparency l8, asdescribed below.

. A piston assembly P is provided within camera C, as best seen in FIGS.1, 3, and 4, which includes a pair of spaced pistons 35 and36 that aremounted for reciprocative moveacting on pressure pad 30. After asuitable processing time has elapsed, knob 42 is rotated so that pointer43 becomes alined with numeral 2. During this rotation, piston 35 willbe raised to the position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and pressure pad 30,under the influence of springs 33and 34, will force any unabsorbed orunused processing agent 22 back into pod I9, where it will be absorbedby sponge 23. As rotation of knob 42 continues toward the alinement ofpointer 43 with numeral 2, piston 36 will be lowered, finally causingpod 20 to be ruptured at relief or depression 45 provided in wall 32,shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 10. Thus, the second processing agent 22a inpod 20 will be forced-from pod 20 under pressure into the space therebyformed between transparency 18 and sheet 21, as shown in FIG. 10. Knob42 may then be rotated in the op posite direction to an intermediateposition so that both pistons arein their raised positions, shown inFIG. 11, so that pressure pad 30 can force any unused or unabsorbedprocessing agent 22a back into pod 20, where it will be absorbed bysponge 24. Next, slide 13 can be moved to the right so that finger 260will engage another unexposed transparency unit T. Movement to the left,then, will cause the exposed and processed transparency unit in theexposure chamber to be pushed by the succeeding, unexposed unit out ofthe camera through a slit 46 in wall 52. After the exposed and processedunit has been thus removed, sheet 21, along with sponges 23 and 24, canbe stripped from the unit as shown in FIG. 13. The development processdescribed herein. is claimed in commonly assigned US Pat. No. 3,354,674,entitled Process and Product for Image Transfer Photography" and issuedon Nov. 14, I947.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that the novel featuresof this invention are significant. A camera has been provided forexposing and processing slide transparency units, each unit preferablyhaving two pods containing processing agents, the pods beingsequentially ruptured by a two-piston assembly in the camera. The pistonassembly causes each processing agent to be exuded, under pressure, fromits pod into a space between the transparency and a strippable coversheet overlying the transparency, pressure on the exuded 'agentthenbeing maintained by a spring-urged pressure pad to ensure that all ofthe exposed area of the transparency receive the processingagent. Aftera suitable time for processing by first agent has elapsed, thefirstpiston is raised above the ruptured first pod so that the pressure padcan then force any excess. first processing agent back into the pod. Thefirst ment within recesses 37 and 38, respectively. Pistons 35 and 36are pivotally connected, at their upper ends, to the opposite ends of anarm 39 which, in turn, is pivotally mounted,

at its center, we shaft 40 extending through a bracket 41 on housing H.Shaft 40 extends through wall 52 and has an operating knob 42 attachedto its outside end for rotating shaft 40 and arm 39 in either directionso as to cause pistons 35 and 36 to move up or down in a reciprocativefashion. Ad-

vantageously, as seen in FIG. 3, the outside surface of wall 52 isprovided with suitable indicia, such as the numerals 1 and 2, which incooperation with a pointer 43 on knob 42, indicate the positions of thetwo pistons. p

After exposure of a transparency unit T, knob 42 is rotated so thatpointer 43 is alignedwithnumeral 1, thereby causing piston 35 to beforced downward against pod 19, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, therebycausing pod 19 to be ruptured. To en- .sure' that pod l9 ruptures at theseal between pod l9 and the exposed area of transparency 18, a relief ordepression 44 is provided in wall .32, as seen in FIG. 2, 4, and 6. Thusprocessing agent 22 is exuded from pod 19 underpressure into the spacethereby formed between transparency I8 and sheet 21, as shown in FIG. 6,and is maintained underpressure by pressure pod 30 to ensure that theprocessing agent is distributed over the exposed area of transparency-18. A firm contact between pressure pad 30 and transparency T is ensuredby'the biasing influence of springs 28 and 29'upon abutment 27, springs28 and 29 being stronger than springs 33 and 34 procedure is thenrepeated for the secondpod, which causes the second processing agent,which could be a bleaching agent, tobe'spread across the transparencyunit. After the second piston has been raised above the ruptured secondpod, and any excess second agent returned to that pod, the processedtransparency unit can be ejected from the camera by operating a reciprocative slide mechanism, which moves the next unexposed transparencyunit into its exposure position and thereby pushes the processed unitout of the camera.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference toa preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A camera for exposing and effecting the processing ofradiation-sensitive units, each unit includinga mount having a centralopening, a radiation-sensitive element on the mount extending across thecentralopening, and a rupturable pod containing a'processing agent onthe mount adjacent to the central opening, said camera comprising:

means defining a position for exposing a radiation-sensitive unit;

means defining a position for storing a plurality ofunexposedradiation-sensitiveunits:

means for effecting movement of an unexposed unit from said storageposition to said exposure position;

p'od rupturing means in said camera, movable transversely toward thedirection of movement of the radiation-sensitive units for engaging thepod of an exposed radiationsensitive unit for'rupturing the engaged podso that the processing agent contained therein can be spread across theexposed radiation-sensitive element; and

means for moving said pod rupturing means toward said direction ofmovement of the radiation-sensitive units to engage and rupture the pod.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pod rupturing meansincludes a piston mounted in said camera for reciprocative movementtoward and away from the pod of an exposed radiation-sensitive elementunit in said exposure chamber.

3. A camera for exposing andprocessing radiation-sensitive units, eachunit including a mount having a central opening, a radiation-sensitiveelement on the mount extending across the central opening, and first andsecond rupturable pods containing first and second processing agents,respectively, both pods being supported on the mount adjacent to andsubstantially the same distance from the central opening, said cameracomprising:

means defining an exposure chamber for exposing a radiation-sensitiveunit received therein;

means defining a storage chamber, adjacent to said exposure chamber, forstoring a plurality of unexposed radiation-sensitive units receivedtherein;

means defining a passageway interconnecting said chambers, through whichpassageway each of the radiationsensitive units can be moved in adirection from said storage chamber to said exposure chamber; and

first and second pistons mounted in said camera for reciprocativemovement transverse to the direction of movement of theradiation-sensitive units through said passageway, and sequentiallyengageable with the first and second pods, respectively, of an exposedradiationsensitive unit in said exposure chamber, to sequentiallyrupture the engaged pods so that the first and second processing agentscontained therein can be sequentially spread across the exposedradiation-sensitive element.

4. A camera as claimed in claim 3 further including:

an arm, having two ends, pivotally mounted on said camera about an axisintermediate said ends, each of said ends being connected to one of saidpistons; and

operating means coupled to said arm for reciprocatively rotating saidarm to sequentially engage said pistons with the pods of an exposedradiation-sensitive unit in said exposure chamber.

5. A camera as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means defining saidexposure chamber includes a wall having an opening therein, and saidoperating means includes:

a shaft, having first and second ends, rotatably mounted in said cameraalong said axis, said first end being connected to said arm, said secondend extending through said opening in said wall; and

a knob connected to said second end for reciprocatively rotating saidshaft and said arm to effectuate reciprocative movement of said pistons.v 6. A camera for exposing and processing radiation-sensitive units,each unit including a mount having a planar surface and a centralopening, a radiation-sensitive element on the mount extending across thecentral opening and spaced from the planar surface, a rupturable podcontaining a processing agent on the mount adjacent to the centralopening, and a strippable cover sheet on the mount overlying the planarsurface and the central opening, said camera comprising:

means defining an exposure chamber for exposing a radiation-sensitiveunit received therein; means defining a storage chamber, adjacent tosaid exposure chamber, for storing a plurality of unexposedradiation-sensitive units received therein; means defining'a passagewayinterconnecting said chambers, through whichpassageway each of theradiationsensitive units can be moved in a direction from said storagechamber to said exposure chamber;

means defining a slit in said means defining said exposure chamberspaced from said passageway, through which slit an exposedradiation-sensitive unit can be pushed by a succeeding unexposedradiation-sensitive unit as the succeeding unit is moved from saidstorage chamber into said exposure chamber;

pod rupturing means in said exposure chamber adjacent to said slit,movable transversely to the direction of movement of theradiation-sensitive units through said passageway, and engageable withthe pod of an exposed radiation-sensitive unit in said exposure chamber,for rupturing the engaged pod so that the processing agent will therebybe exuded from the ruptured pod onto the exposed radiation-sensitiveelement between the radiationsensitive element and the cover sheet; and

a resiliently urged pressure pad in said exposure chamber engageablewith the cover sheet of an exposed radiationsensitive unit in saidexposure chamber for pressurizing the exuded processing agent betweenthe exposed radiation-sensitive element and the cover sheet so as tohelp I spread the exuded processing agent across the radiationsensitiveelement and force any excess processing agent back into the rupturedpod. 7, A camera as claimed in claim 6 further including a resilientlymounted abutment in said exposure chamber spaced from said pressure padso that radiation-sensitive unit is receivable between said abutment andsaid pressure pad, said abutment being engageable with the mount ofaradiationsensitive unit so received to support the receivedradiationsensitive unit against said pressure pad.

8. A camera as claim in claim 6 wherein said means defining saidexposure chamber includes a wall portion adjacent to said pressure padhaving a depression therein extending from the location of the pod of aradiation-sensitive unit received in said exposure chamber to saidpressure pad to facilitate the flow of the processing agent exuded fromthe pod, when ruptured, onto the radiation-sensitive element of thereceived unit.

9. A camera for exposing and processing radiation-sensitive units, eachunit including a mount having a planar surface and a central opening, aradiation-sensitive element on the mount extending across the centralopening and spaced from the planar surface, first and second rupturablepods containing first and second processing agents, respectively, bothpods being supported on the mount adjacent to and substantially the samedistance from the central opening, and a strippable cover sheet on themount overlying the planar surface and the central opening, said cameracomprising:

means defining an exposure chamber for exposing a radiation-sensitiveunit received therein; means defining a storage chamber, adjacent tosaid exposure chamber, for storing a plurality of unexposedradiation-sensitive units received therein;

means defining a passageway interconnecting said chambers, through whichpassageway each of the stored radiation-sensitive units can be moved ina direction from said storage chamberto said exposure chamber;

means defining a slit in said means defining said exposure chamberspaced from said passageway, through which slit an exposedradiation-sensitive unit can be pushed by a succeeding unexposedradiation-sensitive unit as the succeeding unit is moved from saidstorage chamber into said exposure chamber;

first and second pistons mounted in said exposure chamber adjacent tosaid slit for reciprocative movement transverse to the direction ofmovement of an exposed radiation-sensitive unit through said slit;

an arm, having two ends, pivotally mounted in said camera about an axisintermediate said ends, each of said ends being connected to one of saidfirst and second pistons;

a shaft, having first and second ends, rotatably mounted in saidcamera'along said axis, said first end being connected to said arm, said.second end extending through said means defining said exposure chamberto a point outside said camera;

a knob connected to said second end of said shaft for reciprocativelyrotating said-shaft and said arm to effectuate reciprocative movement ofsaid first and second pistons for sequential engagement of saidfirst andsecond pistons with the first and second pods, respectively, of anexposed radiation-sensitive unit in said exposure chamber tosequentially rupture the engaged pods so that the first and secondprocessing agents will thereby be sequentially exuded from the rupturedpods onto the exposed radiation-sensitive element between theradiation-sensitive element and the strippablecover sheet; a resilientlyurged pressure pad in said exposure chamber engageable with thestrippable cover sheet of an exposed radiation-sensitive unit in saidexposure chamber for pressurizing the exuded processing agent betweenthe exposed radiation-sen'sitive element and the cover sheet so as tohelp spread the exuded processing agent across the radiation-sensitiveelement and force any excess processing agent back into itsruptured'pod; and a resiliently mounted abutment in said exposurechamber spaced from said pressure pad so that a radiation-sensitive unitis'receivable between said abutment and said pressure pad, said abutmentbeing engageable with the mount of a radiation-sensitive unit soreceived to support the receivedradiation-sensitive unit against saidpressure pad. I 10. A device suitable for exposing and effecting theprocessing of a radiation-sensitive ,unit, each unit having a plane andincluding a radiation-sensitive element and a rupturable pod containinga processing agentexudable from the pod onto the element-to processtheelement after the element has been exposed, said device comprising:

a. means defining a position for storing an unexposedradiation-sensitive unit;

b. means defining a position for exposing a radiation-sensitive unit;

c. means for effecting movement of an unexposed unit from a said storageposition to said exposure position;

d. means movable in a direction transverse to the plane of anexposedunit and engageable with the pod of a unit after the unit hasbeen exposed for rupturing the engaged pod and thereby exudingthe'processing agent from the ruptured pod onto the exposed element; and

. e. means for moving said pod rupturing means transversely toward thepodto engage and rupture the pod.

11. A device asclaimed in claim 10 wherein said pod rupturing meansincludes a'piston movable toward and away from a position of engagementwith the pod of an exposed unit.

12.. A device suitable for exposing and processing a radiation-sensitiveunit, each unit including a radiation-sensitive element and rupturablepod means containing processing agents exudable from the pod means ontothe element to process the element after the element has been exposed,said device comprising:

a. means defining a storage chamber for storing an unexposedradiation-sensitive unit therein;

b. means defining an exposure chamber for exposing anradiation-sensitive unit received therein;

c. means defining a passageway interconnecting said chamber for allowingmovement of an unexposed unit through said passageway in a directionfrom said storage chamber tosaid exposure chamber;

d. meansreciprocatively movable in a direction transverse to thedirection of movement of an unexposed unit through said passageway andengageable with the pod means of a unit after the unit has been exposedin said exposure chamber for rupturing the engaged pod means and therebyexuding the processing agents from the ruptured pod means onto theexposed element; and

e. means for reciprocating said pod rupturing means into engagement withthe pod means to rupture the pod means. 4 13, A device as claimed inclaim 12 wherein said pod means includes first and second podscontaining first and second processing agents, respectively, and saidpod rupturing means includes first and second pistons movablesequentially toward and away from the first and second pods,respectively, of an exposed unit and engageable sequentially with thefirst and second pods, respectively, of an exposed unit to rupture thefirst and second pods sequentially and thereby exude the first

